Rolling mill coil-forming laying head with unistructural path and deflector guide trough support

ABSTRACT

A rolling mill coil-forming laying head apparatus includes a driven rotating quill that discharges elongated material into an elongated path hollow structure, such as a laying head pipe and a downstream deflector guide trough. The path and deflector guide trough structures are supported by a unistructural permanently-formed housing having integral elongated hollow pathway structure, deflector guide trough, and quill mounting support extensions formed therein.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Invention

Embodiments of the present invention relate to rolling mill coil-forming apparatuses, often referred to as laying heads, of the type that include a driven rotating quill that discharges elongated material into an elongated path hollow structure, such as a laying head pipe and a downstream deflector guide trough. More particularly the present invention relates to a unistructural permanently-formed housing having integral elongated hollow pathway structure, deflector guide trough, and quill mounting support portions formed therein. The path and deflector guide trough structures are supported by the unistructural housing.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Coil-forming apparatuses laying head systems form moving rolled elongated material into a series of helical continuous loop rings. Those rings may be further processed downstream by bundling them into coils of any desired number of helical turns. Known laying heads are described generally in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,312,065; 6,769,641; and 7,011,264, the entire contents of all of which are hereby incorporated by reference as if fully contained herein.

As described in these patents rolling mill laying heads include a rotating quill that discharges the elongated material into a radially outwardly flared section, where it is received in the entry end an elongated hollow structure, such as for example a hollow tubular laying pipe. The laying pipe or other elongated hollow structure has a curved intermediate portion that is surrounded by the quill's flared section and an end portion that projects radially outwardly from and generally tangential to the quill's rotational axis. The rotating quill and the laying pipe hollow elongated structure in combination conform the rolled material into a helical curved shape. The laying pipe or other substitute hollow elongated structure may be replaced with one of a different profile and/or diameter in order to reconfigure the laying head to accommodate different dimensioned rolled material.

Further helical profiling of the roiled material is accomplished in a rotating helical ring guide that includes troughs for receiving the rolled material about its outer circumference. The ring or trough helical guide described in U.S. Pat. No. No. 6,769,641 is of segmented, sector-shaped, modular rim construction with the circumferential troughs formed within the rim sectors. When it is desired to reconfigure the laying head to accommodate different dimensioned rolled material all of the rim sectors are changed out with another set having different trough profile and/or helical pitch needed to coil the new material. Whenever a specific trough segment becomes worn in service use, its entire rim sector structural member is replaced with a new one.

A generally annular ring, also commonly referred to as deflector guide trough or guide ring, has a guide surface that circumscribes the laying pipe discharge end and helical guide, so that the elongated material is confined axially and radially as it is discharged in now fully coiled configuration to a roller transport path for subsequent bundling and other processing. A pivoting tripper mechanism, including one or more tripper paddles, may be positioned at approximately the six o'clock or bottom position of the end ring/shroud distal the quill. Varying the pivot attack angle of the tripper mechanism relative to the ring/shroud inner diameter surface is useful to control elongated material coiling, for example to compensate for varying elongated material plasticity thickness, composition, rolling speed and cross sectional structure.

The laying head path and helical or ring deflector guide trough are supported by a support structure that is coupled to the quill's discharge end. The support structure is generally of cylindrical shape, with an intake end coupled coaxially with the quill discharge end, often by a complementary mating flanged rim. The support structure discharge end is in turn coupled coaxially to the deflector guide trough, the latter often constructed of segmented sections that are joined together radially and restrained axially by inner and outer hub structures. Also in the current two-piece support/guide trough design there is radial clearance between the pipe support and the deflector trough for easy assembly and disassembly. Under the high rotating speed the centrifugal force will shift the non-symmetric deflector trough structure to its heavy side. The location change in center of gravity due to the centrifugal force induced shift introduces residual unbalance in the rotating assembly. Given the relatively high centrifugal loading on the deflector guide trough and the elongated path/pipe that transports the rolled product during the coil-forming sequence, the inner and outer support hubs are constructed of relatively large steel machined components. The support structure and its helical deflector guide trough are hanging unsupported weight that is effectively restrained in cantilever-like fashion by quill mounting bearings. Also given the high centrifugal loads on the support structure and the deflector guide trough, the rotating assembly is typically statically and dynamically balanced to minimize potentially damaging dynamic load. Thus any time the pipe support and deflector guide trough are disassembled they must be rebalanced. Balancing the relatively large pipe support and guide trough assembly in the field after service is time consuming and relatively difficult to perform under field conditions.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The laying head path and helical guide trough support of the present invention has a unistructural permanently-formed housing that includes an integral elongated hollow pathway structure support extension, an integral deflector guide trough support extension, and an integral quill mounting support extension formed therein. The laying head path and helical guide trough support of the present invention has sufficient strength to support the laying head path, helical guide trough and rolled product under high centrifugal loads with a lighter structure, so that less overhang weight is carried by the quill bearings. The lighter support in turn facilitates formation of a lighter quill structure. The unistructural arrangement forming the laying head path and helical guide trough support of the present invention are not disassembled and thus do not have to be rebalanced in the field during equipment servicing operations.

Embodiments of the present invention feature a support apparatus for an elongated hollow pathway structure that retains and transports elongated materials in a rolling mill coil-forming laying head system that includes a unistructural permanently-formed housing having an integral elongated hollow pathway structure support extension, an integral deflector guide trough support extension, and an integral quill mounting support extension formed therein. As used herein, a “unistructural” support or a support “unistructure” means that the support is formed as a single piece, e.g., by casting, molding or a reinforced composite, as well as being formed from permanently joined subcomponents that are not designed or intended to be disassembled, e.g., welded steel or other metal fabrications. A unistructural support enhances structural stiffness and rigidity and can more easily distribute induced loads throughout the component without localized stress concentrations that are often generated at juncture zones of fastened or interlocking subcomponents.

Other embodiments of the present invention feature a roiling mill coil-forming laying head system having a driven rotating quill and a unistructural permanently-formed housing. The housing has an integral elongated hollow pathway support extension, an integral deflector guide trough support extension, and an integral quill mounting support extension, all of which are integrally formed in the housing. An elongated hollow pathway structure that retains and transports elongated materials is coupled to the elongated hollow pathway support extension. A deflector or ring guide trough is coupled to the deflector guide trough support extension.

Additional embodiments of the present invention feature a support apparatus for an elongated hollow pathway structure that retains and transports elongated materials in a rolling mill coil-forming laying head system having a unistructural permanently-formed housing with an integral elongated hollow pathway structure support extension, a deflector guide trough support extension and a quill mounting support extension formed therein, The housing is formed from welded fabricated components.

The features of the present invention may be applied jointly or severally in any combination or sub-combination by those skilled in the art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The teachings of the present invention can be readily understood by considering the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a side elevational view of a known coil-forming apparatus laying head system including a known path or pipe support;

FIG. 2 shows a sectional elevational view of the known laying head system of FIG. 1, including its elongated laying head path or pipe, pipe support, trough guide and support, quill mounting structure, quill, and end ring;

FIG. 3 is a discharge end perspective view of a known, conventional quill and path/guide trough support the known laying head system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an axial cross section of the known quill and path/guide trough support of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an axial cross section of a quill and path/guide trough support in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is an intake end perspective view of a quill and path/guide trough support of FIG. 5 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a discharge end perspective view of the path/guide trough support of FIG. 5 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 8 is an intake end perspective view of the path/guide trough support of FIG. 5 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

To facilitate understanding, identical reference numerals have been used, where possible, to designate identical elements that are common to the figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

After considering the following description, those skilled in the art will clearly realize that the teachings of the present invention can be readily utilized in coil-forming laying head apparatuses to provide lighter weight laying head path/pipe and helical guide trough permanently formed unistructural support structures that are not disassembled during laying head apparatus service. Thus, the unistructural support structure does not have to be rebalanced after field service. Lighter weight supports induce lower unsupported loads on quill bearings and also enable utilization of lighter weight quills as unsupported loads are decreased.

Laying Head System Overview

Referring generally to FIGS. 1-4, a conventional coil-forming apparatus laying head system 30 coils rolled elongated material M, such as for example hot rolled steel rebar. Elongated material M that is advancing at speed S, which may be as high as or greater than approximately 500 feet/second (150 m/sec), is received in the laying head system 30 intake end 32 and discharged in a series of continuous coil loops at the discharge end 34, whereupon the coils are deposited on a roller conveyor 40.

The laying head system 30 comprises a driven rotatable known conventional quill 50 that is supported by rolling element bearings 52. The quill 50 rotates an elongated material path or pipe 60 and a path/pipe support 70. The path 60 defines a hollow elongated cavity to enable transport of the material M. Aspects of the present invention allow the path to comprise a laying head pipe; indeed, the path 60 may occasionally be referred to as a laying head pipe herein.

The known quill 50 can have a generally horn shape that is adapted to rotate about an axis. The path 60 has a generally helical axial profile of increasing radius, with a first end 62 that that is aligned with the rotational axis of quill 50 and receives elongated material M. The path 60 has a second end that is spaced radially outwardly from and generally tangential to the quill 50 rotational axis and thus discharges the elongated material generally tangentially to the periphery of the rotating quill. The path 60 is coupled to a conventional, known path/pipe support 70, which is in turn coupled coaxially to the known quill 50, so that all three components rotate synchronously about the quill rotational axis. Quill 50 rotational speed is selected based upon, among other factors, the elongated material M structural dimensions and material properties, advancement speed S, desired coil diameter and number of tons of elongated material that can be processed by the laying head pipe without undue risk of excessive wear.

In this embodiment, as elongated material M is discharged from the second end 64, it is directed into a ring guide 80 having guide rim segments 82 into which are formed a guide trough channel 84 having a helical pitch profile, such as that described in commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 6,769,641. As the elongated material M is advanced through the ring guide 80 it is continued to be conformed into a continuous loop helix. As stated in the '641 patent, the segmented ring guide enables relatively easy reconfiguration of the ring guide helical diameter to accommodate different elongated materials by changing the rim segments 82 without disassembling and replacing the entire ring guide 80.

As previously noted, the elongated material M is configured into a continuous looped coil as it rides within the ring guide 80 helical trough channel 84. Ring guide 80 is coupled to the path/pipe support 70 and rotates coaxially with the quill 50. The helical trough 84 advancement rotational speed is harmonized with the elongated material M advancement speed S, so there is little relative linear motion speed between the two abutting objects and less rubbing wear of the trough 84 surfaces that contact the coiling material.

Stationary end ring 90 has an inner diameter that is coaxial with the quill 50 rotational axis and circumscribes the laying path/pipe 60 second end 62 as well as the ring guide 80. The end ring 90 counteracts centrifugal force imparted on the elongated material M as it is discharged from the laying head pipe 60 second end 62 and advances along the ring guide 80 helical trough channel 84 by radially restraining the material within the end ring inner diameter guide surface. High relative speed between the advancing elongated material M and the stationary end ring 90 causes rubbing wear on the end ring inner diameter guide surface.

Referring to FIG. 1, elongated material M that is discharged from the coil-forming apparatus laying head system 30 falls by gravity in continuous loops on roller conveyor 40, aided by the downwardly angled quill rotational axis at the system discharge end 34. Tripper mechanism 150 pivots about an axis abutting the distal axial side of the end ring 90 guide surface. That pivotal axis is generally tangential to the end ring 90 inner diameter guide surface about a pivotal range of motion θ. As is known, coiled material M coiling characteristics and placement on the conveyor 40 can be controlled by varying the pivotal angle θ.

Conventional Pipe/Path Support Description

FIGS. 3 and 4 show a conventional known quill 50 and pipe/path support 70, the latter constructed of fastened subcomponents. For brevity, the pipe/path support 70 hereafter is occasionally referred to as “pipe support 70” or “support 70”. Quill 50 has a quill flange 54 that mates concentrically with a corresponding pipe support flange 71. The pipe support 70 has a generally cylindrical housing 72 and a plurality of pipe clamps 73 that are retained by pipe support portions 74. The pipe support portion 74 is affixed to the cylindrical housing 72. Inner hub 75 is also affixed to the cylindrical housing 72, and provides a mating mounting surface for outer hub 76, the latter retaining the ring guide trough 80, and its trough segments 82 that define the helical trough 84. The ring guide trough 80 is formed from a plurality of radial extension components, e.g., 85-88, that extend radially from the outer hub 76 to the trough segments 82. The juncture of each individual radial support extension component 85-88 and the outer hub 76 is a potential stress concentration zone; hence the outer hub and mating inner hub 75 are of robust, relatively heavy construction to resist the stress concentrations. Also there exists a radial clearance between 75 and outer hub 76 portions for assembly and disassembly ease. Due to the non-symmetrical structure of the deflector or guide trough, the centrifugal force generated at high rotating speed of the pipe support 70 tends to shift outer hub 76 to its heavy side. Consequently the location change in center of gravity introduces an imbalance condition in the rotating assembly.

Present Invention Pipe/Path Support Description

FIGS. 5-8 show the quill 150 and pipe/path support 170 of the present invention, that are intended to replace and substitute for the known quill 50 and pine/path support 70 in the known coil-forming laying head apparatus 30. A new laying head apparatus of the present invention is constructed when the new quill 150 and pipe support 170 are installed in a newly constructed or reconstructed laying head apparatus. Replacement of a known quill 50 and pipe support 70 with the new quill 150 and pipe support 170 of the present invention in an existing known laying head apparatus constitutes a reconstruction rather than a repair of that apparatus.

The pipe/path support 170 of the present invention is a unistructural, permanently formed apparatus that is not intended to be deconstructed into sub components. Unistructural formation facilitates applied load distribution throughout the unified structure without stress concentrations at the juncture of subcomponent interfaces, as occurs with known conventional pipe supports 70. Thus the unified, permanently joined pipe support 170 can be constructed as a lighter weight apparatus, reducing unsupported weight loads on the quill 150 support bearings 52 and magnitude of rotational vibrations. The unified, permanently joined pipe support apparatus 170 can be factory balanced after construction, and does not need rebalancing after field service, so long as the apparatus is not modified or damaged. The unified structure of permanently joined pipe support apparatus also facilitates a potentially higher degree of internal vibration damping than the known prior art pipe support 70 that has discrete non-permanently joined subcomponents. The unistructural pipe/path support 170 is constructed of permanently joined welded metal subcomponents. Alternatively, the pipe support 170 is constructed as a casting or molding of metallic or non-metallic material, including plastic or other polymers. The pipe support 170 may also be fabricated as a reinforced composite structure, such as a woven carbon fiber or polyaramid fiber and resin structure, or a fiber or other reinforced casting/molding.

The unistructural pipe/path support 170 of the present invention has an integrally formed pipe support flange 171 that mates concentrically with quill 150 flange 154. The pipe support 170 includes a hollow, generally cylindrical hubless housing 172 for weight reduction. A plurality of pipe clamps 173 are retained by integrally formed pipe support extension 174 that is permanently joined and affixed to the cylindrical housing 172. The pipe support 170 also retains the ring or deflector guide trough 180, and its trough segment(s) 182 that define the helical trough 184. The ring or deflector guide trough 180 is coupled and affixed to the path/pipe support 170 by an integrally-formed support extension 185 that extends radially from the housing 172. The embodiments shown in FIGS. 5-8 have a segmented deflector guide trough 180 with individual replaceable trough segments 182, but alternatively the deflector guide trough can be constructed as a single piece unified component as or from fewer segments than shown in those figures.

Although various embodiments that incorporate the teachings of the present invention have been shown and described in detail herein, those skilled in the art can readily devise many other varied embodiments that still incorporate these teachings. Although various embodiments that incorporate the teachings of the present invention have been shown and described in detail herein, those skilled in the art can readily devise many other varied embodiments that still incorporate these teachings. The invention is not limited in its application to the exemplary embodiment details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of “including,” “comprising,” or “having” and variations thereof herein is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items. Unless specified or limited otherwise, the terms “mounted,” “connected,” “supported,” and “coupled” and variations thereof are used broadly and encompass direct and indirect mountings, connections, supports, and couplings. Further, “connected” and “coupled” are not restricted to physical or mechanical connections or couplings. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A support apparatus for an elongated hollow pathway structure that retains and transports elongated materials in a rolling mill coil-forming laying head system comprising a unistructural permanently-formed housing having integral elongated hollow pathway structure, deflector guide trough, and quill mounting support extensions formed therein.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 comprising a generally cylindrical hollow housing having an outer circumference with the extension portions projecting radially therefrom.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2 comprising a hubless housing.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1 comprising a hubless housing.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1 comprising permanently joined fabricated components.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1, the fabricated components permanently joined by welds.
 7. The apparatus of claim 1 comprising a casting.
 8. The apparatus of claim 7 comprising a metal casting.
 9. The apparatus of claim 7 comprising a plastic casting.
 10. The apparatus of claim 1 comprising a reinforced composite.
 11. The apparatus of claim 1, the deflector guide trough support extension adapted for coupling to replaceable deflector guide trough segments.
 12. The apparatus of claim 1, the integral elongated hollow pathway structure support extension adapted for coupling to replaceable elongated hollow pathway structures including laying head pipes.
 13. A roiling mill coil-forming laying head system comprising: a driven rotating quill; a unistructural permanently-formed housing having integral elongated hollow pathway structure, deflector guide trough, and quill mounting support extensions formed therein; an elongated hollow pathway structure that retains and transports elongated materials, coupled to the elongated hollow pathway support extension; and a deflector guide trough coupled to the deflector guide trough support extension.
 14. The system of claim 13, comprising a generally cylindrical hollow housing having an outer circumference with the support extensions projecting radially therefrom.
 15. The system of claim 13, comprising a hubless housing.
 16. The system of claim 13, the housing comprising permanently joined fabricated components.
 17. The system of claim 13, the housing comprising a casting.
 18. The system of claim 13, the housing comprising a reinforced composite
 19. A support apparatus for an elongated hollow pathway structure that retains and transports elongated materials in a rolling mill coil-forming laying head system comprising a unistructural permanently-formed housing having integral elongated hollow pathway structure, deflector guide trough, and quill mounting support extensions formed therein, the housing formed from welded fabricated metal components.
 20. The apparatus of claim 20, the deflector guide trough support extension adapted for coupling to replaceable deflector guide trough segments. 